Portable paint booth



April 25, 1967 CLOSE 3,315,639

PORTABLE PAINT BOOTH' Filed May :3, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR GEORGE M. CLOSE BY M ATTORNEY April 25, 1967 G. M. CLOSE 3,315,639

PORTABLE PAINT BOOTH Fi led May 5 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2,

F1 6 5 INVENTOR GEORGE M CLOSE ATTORNEY,

United States Patent 3,315,639 PORTABLE PAINT BOQTH George M. Close, 5939 Hollister Drive, Speedway, Ind. 46224 Filed May 3, 1965, Ser. No. 452,746 7 Claims. (Cl. 118642) The present invention relates to a novel paint booth, more particularly, to a novel portable spray-painting booth for spray painting relatively small objects.

Spray-painting booths are known in the art and are utilized to spray paint objects such as toys or the like as they are conveyed therethrough. The spray-painting booth of the present invention provides a novel means whereby an operator may spray-paint an object without contaminating himself or the surroundings immediately outside the booth with atomized liquids such as paints, enamels, lacquers or the like or release the objectionable odor generally associated with the aforementioned atomized liquids into the atmosphere surrounding the booth. In addition, the object as it is being painted and after it has been painted is protected by the booth from deleterious agents present in air, such as dust and other solid objects found floating in the air. The adhering of these deleterious agents to a newly pain-ted surface of the painted object may cause the purpose for which the object was painted to be destroyed or seriously undermined. The drying of the paint on the object within a controlled environment also enables the drying of the paint to be accomplished more rapidly than possible in an uncontrolled environment.

The portable paint booth is fabricated so as to be collapsible to thereby facilitate transportation or storage of the booth minimizing the amount of space needed to transport or store the booth. The booth includes a front side of optically clear plastic material so as to allow the operator to visually inspect the operation of spray-painting the object. In addition provision is made for displacing the object through 360 degrees while at the same time spray-painting the object.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel spray-painting booth that may be assembled or disassembled in a relatively short time interval with a minimum amount of time and effort.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a spray-painting booth that maintains therein a substantially controlled environment.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a spray-painting booth that substantially prevents atomized liquids released therein from penetrating the atmosphere surrounding the spray-painting booth.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a spray-painting booth that substantially prevents odors released by atomized liquids contained Within the spray-painting booth from vitiating the atmosphere surrounding said booth.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an efficient, effective, and simple spray-painting booth.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a spray-painting booth that is easily collapsible so as to require a minimum amount of space when stored.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a portable spray-painting booth.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a spray-painting booth that allows vertical and horizontal orientation of the object before and during the painting operation.

Yet still another object of the present invention is to provide a novel paint-spraying booth that allows access to the object as the object is being painted so as to allow further orientation of said object.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a paint-spraying booth that allows an operator to view the object being painted as the operator paints the object.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a paint-spraying booth that includes provision for drying the painted object without removing said object from the paint-spraying booth.

The present invention in another of its aspects relates to novel features of the instrumentalities of the invention described therein for teaching the principal object of the invention described therein for teaching the principal object of the invention and to the novel principles employed in the instrumentalities whether or not these features and principles may be used in the said object and/ or in the said field.

With the aforementioned objects enumerated, other objects will be apparent to those persons possessing ordinary skill in the art. Other objects will appear in the following description, appended claims, and appended drawings. The invention resides in the novel construction, combination, arrangement and cooperation of elements as hereinafter described and more particularly as defined in the appended claims.

The appended drawings illustrate the preferred embodiment of the present invention, constructed to function in the most advantageous modes devised for the practical application of the basic principles involved in the hereinafter described invention.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the present invention with segments broken away illustrating the location of various components comprising the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a perspective View of a chest corner means used to retain the various sides of the spray-painting booth.

FIGURE 3 is a cross sectional view of the present invention taken across the lines 33 of FIGURE 1 illustrating the means and method of joining adjacent sides of the spray-painting booth.

FIGURE 4 is a side cross sectional view of the present invention taken across the lines 44 of FIGURE 5 illus trating the location of various components of the spraypainting booth and an object to be painted.

FIGURE 5 is a top cross sectional view of the present invention taken along the lines 5-5 of FIGURE 4 illustrating an object being painted.

Generally speaking, the means of the present invention relate to a novel portable and collapsible spray-painting booth for spray-painting objects of relatively small dimensions. The collapsible spray-painting booth comprises a plurality of sides and a floor. A plurality of chest corner means having recesses at right angles each with the other and a plurality of L-shaped means having recesses at right angles each with respect to the other, retain the plurality of sides and the floor in such a manner so as to form a substantially rectangular shaped spraypainting booth having a paint chamber. One of the sides is formed of optically clear plastic for allowing an operator to visually observe the paint chamber. In addition, the optically clear side includes a plurality of iris diaphragm means for permitting access to the paint chamber. The floor includes a rotatable means rotatably journalled thereto. The primary use for the rotatable means is for seating thereon an object to be spray painted. The spray-painting booth also includes a means for rotatably displacing the rotatable means and a means for spray-painting the object as the object is rotatably displaced. A means for drying the object within the paint chamber after the object has been painted is also part of the spray-painting booth. An intake filter means integral with the booth is used for filtering deleterious agents such as dust and the like from air as the air flows into the paint chamber through the intake filter means. An exhaust filter means integral with the booth is used for filtering paint chamber air as said air is exhausted from the paint chamber.

Referring now to the drawings, which illustrate the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the portable spray-painting booth is generally indicated by numeral 10. The general shape of the portable spraypainting booth is that of a cube, that is, a six-sided figure that has dimensions that are substantially equal. A side 11 is utilized on four of the six sides used to form the portable spray painting booth. The side 11 is fabricated from any suitable non-resilient material such as wood, plastic or the like.

An L-shaped means 12 having a recess 12' formed in the leg and stem sections of the L-shaped means is used to join together adjacent sides of the portable spraypainting booth. FIGURE 3 illustrates the location of the side 11 within an axial recess 12 of the L-shaped means. It will be noted that the axial recess is of sufiicient depth to afford adequate support for the side cooperatively associated therewithin. Nodes 12" positioned on either side of the opening to the recess 12' are in the shape of a half-circle and are of sufficient radius so as to project inwardly into the opening of the recess. The L-shaped means 12 is fabricated from any suitable resilient material such as plastic or the like. It will be seen that as side 11 is inserted into the recess 12', nodes 12" will frictionally engage the side. The insertion of side 11 between the nodes will cause the nodes to be displaced outwardly each from the other until the distance of separation of the nodes is equal to the thickness of side 11. Side 11 is retained within the recess of the L-shaped means by the frictional engagement of the nodes with the parallel surfaces of the side. As illustrated in FIGURE 1, the L-shaped means extends substantially along the entire length of the extremity of side 11. The cooperation between the nodes and the parallel surfaces of side 11 serve to form a substantially air-tightcoupling. FIGURE 1 shows that the L-shaped means serves to couple together adjacent sides of the spray-painting booth. In order to form a booth that is substantially cubical in shape, twelve L-shaped means of equal length are utilized. It will be understood that the length or width or both of the spray-painting booth may be varied by varying the appropriate L-shaped means so as to obtain the desired shape of the spraypainting booth. A cubical spray-painting booth is shown for illustrative purposes only, the booth also could be rectangular in shape and serve substantially the same purpose.

A chest corner means 13 is utilized to couple together three adjacent sides in such a manner that each of the three adjacent sides is at a right angle each side with respect to the other side. The chest corner is illustrated in FIGURE 2. As shown in FIGURE 2, each side of the chest corner includes an axial recess 13'. The axial recess serves to interfit with and support a corner of a side 11. At the opening of the axial recess and extending thereacross are nodes 13". The nodes 13" are opposite each other and are substantially semicircular in shape. The chest corner means is fabricated from any suitable resilient material such as plastic or the like. It is seen that the width of side 11 is sulficient so as to displace nodes 13" outwardly as side 11 is inserted into recess 13'. In so doing, nodes 13" frictionally engage side 11 to thereby retain side 11 within recess 13'. As disclosed hereinbefore, there are eight chest corners and each chest corner retains therein and at right angles each with respect to the other a portion of the extremities of three sides 11.

As disclosed hereinbefore, a side 11 is utilized on four of the six sides forming the portable spray-painting booth. The fifth side forming the spray-painting booth is side 14. Side 14 is fabricated from any suitable optically clear plastic material such as a plastic sold under the trademark Mylar that allows an operator to look into and see objects within the spray-painting booth yet has good strength. The side 14 includes a margin 14' extending about the periphery of side 14 that interfits with a recess 13 of the appropriate chest corner and a recess 12' of the appropriate L-shaped means 12 in substantially the same manner as described hereinbefore in conjunction with a side 11 interfitting with a chest corner and an L-shaped means.

As illustrated in FIGURE 1 and FIGURE 5, side 14 includes a pair of iris diaphragm means 20 that are of sufiicient dimensions to permit the insertion of a spraypainting means 25 such as a can of spray-paint dispersing an atomized liquid paint which is held and manipulated by the arm of the user as illustrated in FIGURE 5. It is seen that the iris diaphragm effectively seals about the arm inserted therethrough so as to substantially prevent leakage of the atomized liquid paint and its associated fumes about the point of insertion of the arm into the spray-painting booth. The iris diaphragm means are displaced in accordance with the contours of the spraypainting means inserted therethrough. Upon removal of the spray-painting means from the iris means, the iris means returns to its original shape. The iris diaphragm is fabricated from any suitable flexible material such as latex or the like.

Each side 11 adjacent the clear plastic side 14 as illustrated in FIGURES 1, 4 and 5 includes an aperture or vent 17 utilized to exchange the air within the portable spray-painting booth in accordance with a predetermined air exchange cycle. Each of the vents 17 is covered by a porous intake air filter means 18. The filter means may be either of the viscous filter type or of the dry filter type. The deleterious agents in the air impinge on the surf-ace of the filter. The agents are removed from the air by straining or filtering it through any suitable material such as cloth, felt, paper, or the like materials the openings in which are too small to allow the passage of deleterious agents therethrough. It is seen that the individual filter means may be exchanged as desired. The intake filter means are retained on the sides of the spray-painting booth by any suitable retaining means 18 that permits the intake air filter means to be easily removed therefrom.

An exhaust orifice 19 is located in the side 11 in spaced parallel relationship with clear plastic wall 14. The exhaust orifice is used as a means and method of providing an exit for the air contained within the spray-painting booth. The exhaust orifice is equipped with an air filter means (not shown) that filters paint odors and the atomized liquid paint from the air as the air passes therethrough.

A floor 11 is the sixth side of the portable spray-painting booth and serves as a seat for rotatable means 15. It is seen that the paint spray booth now formed includes a spray paint chamber 36. FIGURE 4 shows that the rotatable means 15 is rotatably coupled to the floor 11' by any suitable means such as by a shaft 26 rotatably journalled to the floor. A plurality of bearing means 27 ride in notches 28 cut into the underside of the rotatable means 15 and on the floor 11'. It is seen that the bearings provide support for the rotatable means and in addition serve to reduce friction developed between the rotatable means and the floor as the rotatable means is rotationally displaced. As illustrated in FIGURES 4 and 5, an object to be painted, such as vase 24 or the :like, is positioned on rotatable means 25. The vase 24 can traverse a full circle without horizontally or vertically displacing the vase merely by rotatably displacing rotatable means 15 by any suitable means mechanical or manual. The provision for full circle displacement of the vase allows an operator to spray-paint the vase without physically touching the vase during the painting operation. The obvious advantage is that the vase may be entirely painted without incurring the chance of the operator inadvertently touching and thereby marring a surface of the vase to be painted or already painted.

A hanger means 29 comprised of a handle 22 and a hook-shaped extremity 23 projects into the portable spraypainting booth through the side 11 in spaced parallel relationship with respect to the floor 11'. It is seen that the hanger means lies along the same axis as the axis of rotation of the rotatable means. The hanger means is utilized to suspend in the spray-painting booth by means of a string or the like, objects of unusual shape that cannot easily be retained on the rotatable means, or an object that must have its bottom painted. The hanger means may be rotatably displaced by the operator to thereby alter the position of the object being painted so as to facilitate the painting thereof.

Mounted on a side 11 adjacent the clear plastic side 14 is a paint drying means 21 such as a plurality of infrared bulbs. The drying means is coupled by means of an electrical conductor such as insulated electrically conductive wire or the like to an electrical source of potential (not shown) that energizes the drying means at predetermined intervals of time and for predetermined durations of time Since the electrical potential and control means therefor may be of any suitable form, of which many may be conventionally used, it has been omitted from the drawings in the interest of a clearer showing of the inventive portable paint-spraying booth.

Having described the structure of the present invention, the cooperation between the described structural elements will be disclosed.

The sides 11 and the floor 11' are utilized so as to form a cubical shaped spray-painting booth by means of the use of chest corners 13 and L-shaped means 12 in the manner described hereinbefore. The object to be painted is then either placed on the rotatable means 15 or suspended from the hanger means 2 9 by any suitable means such as string. The margins 14' of clear plastic side 14 are thereafter inserted into the appropriate recess 12 of the L-shaped means 12 and the appropriate recess 13' of the corner chest means as shown in FIGURE 1 so as to form spray-paint chamber 30 and so as to effectively seal the air in the spray-painting booth. The operator inserts a spray-painting means 25 through the iris diaphragm thereby displacing the diaphragm so as to fit the contours of the arm. The operator thereafter commences to spray-paint the object to be painted. Assuming the object being painted is located on the rotatable means 15, the operator may rotate the rotatable means manually by inserting his arm through the second iris diaphragm and manually urging the rotatable means in the clockwise or counterclockwise direction as the spraypainting means is dispensing an atomized liquid pain-t onto the surface of the object being painted. It is seen that the object is uniformly painted without actually contacting the object and without moving the spray-painting means fro-m its general initial location.

The plurality of filters 18 collect deleterious agents such as dust present in the air as the air is drawn therethrough to the interior of the spray-painting booth. Air is exhausted through exhaust orifice 19 which also contains a filter (not shown) to filter odors and to agglomerate atomized liquid paint in the air of the paint chamber.

After painting the object, the drying means is actuated to thereby dry the paint on the surface of the painted object. The length of drying time will vary in accordance with the type of drying means used and the type of paint used to paint the object.

A zipper means 16 is utilized to provide a third means and method of access to the paint chamber of the portable spray-painting booth. It is seen that smaller objects to be painted may gain entrance to the paint chamber of the spray-painting booth through the open zipper means rather than through one of the iris diaphragm means. In addition, a smaller object may be withdrawn from the paint chamber of the spray-painting booth through the opened zipper means. Closing the zipper means provides a substantially tight spray-painting booth.

After use, the portable spray-painting booth may be easily disassembled and stored until its use is again desired or to transport it to another location for further use.

While the invention is illustrated and described in its preferred embodiment, it will be understood that modifications and variations may be effected without departing from the scope of the novel concepts of this invention and as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A collapsible spray-painting booth comprising: a plurality of corner means having recesses; a plurality of L-shaped means having recesses; a plurality of sides detachably positioned within said recesses of said corner means and said recess of said L-shaped means in such a manner soas to form a spray-painting booth having a paint chamber, one of said sides including a plurality of means for permitting access to said paint chamber, said one side formed of optically clear plastic for visual observation of said paint chamber; a floor for said spraypainting booth, said floor including a rotatable Work support means journalled to said floor, said rotatable means for seating an object to be painted; said access means enabling spray-painting means to be inserted into said chamber and said rotatable means to be manually displaced for moving said object as it is being sprayed; means for drying said object within said paint chamber after said object is painted; intake air filter means for filtering air as said air flows into said paint chamber; and an exhaust air filter means for filtering paint chamber air as air is exhausted from said paint chamber.

2. A collapsible spray-painting booth comprising: a plurality of corner means having recesses; a plurality of L-shaped means having recesses; a plurality of sides detachably positioned within said recesses of said corner means and said recesses of said L-haped means in such a manner so as to form a spray-painting booth having a paint chamber, one of said sides including a plurality of means for permitting access to said paint chamber, said one side formed of optically clear plastic for visual observation of said paint chamber; a floor for said spraypainting booth positioned within said recesses of said corner chest means and said recesses of said L-shaped means, said floor including a rotatable Work support means journalled to said floor, said rotatable means for seating an object to be painted; said access means enabling spray-painting means to be inserted into said chamber and said rotatable means to be manually displaced for moving said object as it is being sprayed; means for drying said object within said paint chamber after said object is painted; intake air filter means for filtering air as said air flows into said paint chamber; and an exhaust air filter means for filtering paint chamber air as air is exhausted from said paint chamber.

3. A collapsible spray-painting booth comprising: a plurality of corner means having recesses; a plurality of L-shaped means having recesses; a plurality of sides detachably positioned within said recesses of said corner means and said recesses of said L-shaped means in such a manner so as to form a spray-painting booth having a paint chamber, one of said sides including a plurality of iris diaphragm means for permitting access to said paint chamber, said one side formed of optically clear plastic for visual observation of said paint chamber; a floor for said spray-painting booth positioned Within said recesses of said corner chest means and said recesses of said L- shaped means, said floor including a rotatable work support means journalled to said floor, said rotatable means for seating an object to be painted; said plurality of iris diaphragm means enabling spray-painting means to be inserted into said chamber and said rotatable means to be manually displaced for moving said object as it is being sprayed; means for drying said object within said paint chamber after said object is painted; intake air filter means for filtering air as said air flows into said paint chamber; and an exhaust air filter means for filtering paint chamber air as air is exhausted from said paint chamber.

4. A collapsible spray-painting booth comprising. a plurality of chest corner means having recesses at right angles each with the other; a plurality of L-shaped means having recesses at right angles each with the other; a plurality of sides detachably positioned within said recesses of said chest corner means and said recesses of said L- shaped means in such a manner so as to form a rectangular-shaped spray-painting booth having a paint chamber, one of said sides including a plurality of iris diaphragm means for permitting access to said paint chamber, said one side formed of optically clear plastic for visual observation of said paint chamber; a floor for said spray-painting booth positioned within said recesses of said corner chest means and said recesses of said L-shaped means, said floor including a rotatable work support means rotatably journalled to said floor, said rotatable means for seating an object to be painted; said plurality of iris diaphragm means enabling spray-painting means to be inserted into said chamber and said rotatable means to be manually displaced for moving said object as it is being sprayed; means for drying said object within said paint chamber after said object is painted; intake air filter means for filtering air as said air flows into said paint chamber; and an exhaust air filter means for filtering paint chamber air as air is exhausted from said paint chamber.

5. A collapsible spray-painting booth comprising: a plurality of chest corner means having recesses at right angles each with the other; a plurality of L-shaped means having recesses at right angles each with the other; a plurality of sides detachably positioned within said recesses of said chest corner means and said recesses of said L- shaped means in such a manner so as to form a rectangular-shaped spray-painting booth having a paint chamber, one of said sides including a plurality of iris diaphragm means for permitting access to said paint chamber, said one side formed of optically clear plastic for visual observation of said paint chamber; a floor for said spray-painting booth positioned within said recesses of said corner chest means and said recesses of said L-shaped means, said floor including a rotatable work support means rotatably journalled to said floor, said rotatable means for seating an object to be painted; said plurality of iris diaphragm means enabling spray-painting means to be inserted into said chamber and said rotatable means to be manually displaced for moving said object as it is being sprayed; said means for spray-painting inserted into said paint chamber through said iris means, said iris means deforming to conform to the contour of the arm of the user inserted therethrough; means for drying said object within said paint chamber after said object is painted; intake air filter means for filtering air as said air flows into said paint chamber; and an exhaust air filter means for filtering paint chamber air as air is exhausted from said paint chamber.

6. A collapsible spray-painting booth comprising: a plurality of chest corner means having recesses at right angles each with the other; a plurality of L-shaped means having recesses at right angles each with the other; a plurality of sides detachably positioned within said recesses of said chest corner means and said recesses of said L- shaped means in such a manner so as to form a rectangular-shaped spray-painting booth having a paint chamber, one of said sides including a plurality of iris diaphragm means for permitting access to said paint chamber, said one side formed of optically clear plastic for visual observation of said paint chamber; a floor for said spray-painting booth positionedwithin said recesses of said corner chest means and said recesses of said L-shaped means, said side in spaced parallel relationship with said floor including a means for suspendingan object to be painted in said paint chamber; means for rotatably displacing said means for suspending an object to be painted; said plurality of iris diaphragm means enabling spraypainting means to be inserted into said chamber to spray said object as said object is displaced; means for drying said object within said paint chamber after said object is painted; intake air filter means for filtering air as said air flows into said paint chamber; and an exhaust air filtering means for filtering paint chamber air as-air is exhausted from said paint chamber.

7. A collapsible spray-painting booth comprising: a plurality of chest corner means having recesses at right angles each with the other; a plurality of L-shaped means having recesses at right angles each with the other; a plurality of sides detachably positioned within said recesses of said chest corner means and said recesses of said L- shaped means in such a manner so as to form a rectangular-shaped spray-painting booth having a paint chamber, one of said sides including a plurality of iris diaphragm means for permitting access to said paint chamber, said one side formed of optically clear plastic for visual observation of said paint chamber; a floor for said spray-painting booth positioned within said recesses of said corner chest means and said recesses of said L-shaped means, said side in spaced parallel relationship with said floor including a hooked means for suspending an object to be painted in said paint chamber; means for rotatably displacing said hooked means for suspending an object to be painted; said plurality of iris diaphragm means enabling spray-painting means to be inserted into said chamher to spray said object as said hooked means is displaced, said iris means deforming to conform to the contour of the arm of the user inserted therethrough; means for drying said object within said paint chamber after said object is painted; intake air filter means for filtering air as said air flows into said paint chamber; and an exhaust air filtering means for filtering paint chamber air as air is exhausted from said paint chamber.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,218,165 10/1940 Gaebel 118-50 2,956,705 10/1960 Clingman 2l765 X 3,062,180 11/1962 Toulmin 118-326 X FOREIGN PATENTS 241,252 7/ 1946 Switzerland.

DANIEL BLUM, Primary Examiner. 

1. A COLLAPSIBLE SPRAY-PAINTING BOOTH COMPRISING: A PLURALITY OF CORNER MEANS HAVING RECESSES; A PLURALITY OF L-SHAPED MEANS HAVING RECESSES; A PLURALITY OF SIDES DETACHABLY POSITIONED WITHIN SAID RECESSES OF SAID CORNER MEANS AND SAID RECESS OF SAID L-SHAPED MEANS IN SUCH A MANNER SO AS TO FORM A SPRAY-PAINTING BOOTH HAVING A PAINT CHAMBER, ONE OF SAID SIDES INCLUDING A PLURALITY OF MEANS FOR PERMITTING ACCESS TO SAID PAINT CHAMBER, SAID ONE SIDE FORMED OF OPTICALLY CLEAR PLASTIC FOR VISUAL OBSERVATION OF SAID PAINT CHAMBER; A FLOOR FOR SAID SPRAYPAINTING BOOTH, SAID FLOOR INCLUDING A ROTATABLE WORK SUPPORT MEANS JOURNALLED TO SAID FLOOR, SAID ROTATABLE MEANS 